Traumatic Brain Injury

Definition of Exceptionality

IDEA defines Traumatic Brain Injury as acquired injury to the brain caused by and external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairments or both that adversely affects a child’s education performance. If a head traumatic brain injury is present the child may have impairments in one or more of these areas. Cognition, language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem solving, sensory, perceptual and motor abilities, psychosocial behaviors, physical functions, information processing, and speech. Traumatic brain injuries may be the result of open or closed injuries. The associated disabilities may be obvious or hidden and can fall into three main categories: 1) physical and sensory; 2) cognitive; and 3) social, behavioral and emotional. Many of these children who have TBI will have lifelong disabilities.

Implications of teaching

Children with TBI will experience characteristics of learning and behavioral disabilities. When teaching these children a curriculum based on typical developmental milestones isn’t appropriate for most students with severe disabilities. As a teacher it is very important to carefully choose the IEP objectives and learning activities that will benefit the student and his family the most. It is important to have these students in the classroom and much as possible but it is also important that they are getting the time and resources with inclusion. I think an important thing for these students is parent involvement. These parents need to be aware of how and what their child is learning while in the school setting.
Students whom suffer from TBI often have concealed cognitive difficulties. I think it is so important as a teacher that instructions and information should be broken down to where the child can understand and take in what is needed. It is the teacher responsibility to also help the student connect in evaluation and self monitoring. Instruction needs to slow paced in presented in a low key manner. I will have encourage these students to repeat what was said back to me in his own words to make sure that the student grasp what was being said and getting the main idea and concept.
I think visual aids are so important when teaching. When teaching these children I think making simple and color visual aids will be rewarding to the student. As an elementary teacher when teaching these student with TBI it will be extremely important o use behavior management and techniques, such as positive reinforcement of appropriate behavior. This will help the student to know that he/she is behaving very well. Verbal and Written

Specific Technology

1. Recorders- to help the children if something needs to be repeated.
2. Audio books- help the child to hear it as well as read it.
3. Timers to help know when breaks are needs and can be set to know when its time to move to the next planned activity.
4. Daily Planners- helps keep tack or what they student has done and what will need to be done.

Annotated Reference:

1. Understanding and Teaching Students with TBI
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/trauma.pdf
2. Traumatic Brain Injury
http://specialed.about.com/od/disabilities/a/tbi.htm
3. National Resource Center for TBI
http://www.neuro.pmr.vcu.edu/
4. Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/tbi_report/index.htm
5. Brain Injury Association of America
http://www.biausa.org/education.htm
6. Text Book- Exceptional Children Ninth Edition.